Legumes include dried peas, lentils and every variety of dried bean, from the tiny adzuki bean to the huge fava bean. Their food value has been long recognized, as caches of lentils have even been found in Egyptian tombs. Also known as pulses, this family of plants is relatively low in calories. Whether you buy them canned or purchase them in bulk, they store easily and have a long shelf life. Legumes provide plenty of health benefits when they are part of a balanced diet.
Protein
MayoClinic.com reports that legumes are an adequate meat substitute, having many of the benefits of meat but none of the drawbacks. Legumes are high in protein, low in cholesterol and have almost no fat. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture database, 1 cup of cooked lentils has 17.86g of protein and only 0.75g of fat. Cooked lentils can be combined with egg, breadcrumbs, spices and sauteed diced onion to create a tasty meatloaf. Other additions can be finely sliced carrot, celery and mushroom.
Minerals
MayoClinic.com notes that legumes are high in iron, potassium and magnesium. For example, the USDA database reports that a cup of cooked unsalted lentils have 6.59mg iron, 71mg magnesium and 731mg potassium. By way of comparison, the recommended daily allowances of iron and magnesium for adult males are 8mg and 400mg, respectively. The RDA for adult women for iron and magnesium is 18mg and 310mg. The RDA for potassium is 3500mg for both adult men and women. Other types of legumes have comparable amounts of these minerals.
Versatile
Lentils are also incredibly versatile and easy to cook. They can be used in everything from Indian dal, to Middle Eastern falafel and hummus, to Western chilis, Italian pasta fazioli and many varieties of soups and stews. While some legumes benefit from soaking before cookig, this step is not necessary for lentils and dried peas. In a pinch, canned chickpeas or other canned legumes can be used in recipes or to provide a shot of protein to salads.
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